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Winemaker's Notes:

Tasting Notes:
Exquisite. Refined. Like a perfect symphony of tastes. Our Pinot Noir is rich with aromas of cherries and berries--two traditional fruit aromas of Pinot Noir--balanced by hints of spice and a fresh earthiness. The taste is smooth, fruity and full of flavor. This delicately balanced wine is sumptuous with a wide variety of dishes. Try it with rosemary--infused lamb or Thai-style ginger beef entrees, appetizers of wild mushroom soup or roasted garlic--and much more.
Winemaker Notes:
2006 produced an excellent crop in spite of the weather challenges. By mid-September, fresh grapes bursting with flavor began to arrive at the winery, where they were gently crushed and allowed to cold soak. Turning Leaf winemakers extracted additional flavor from the harvest by removing some of the press juice during fermentation, so the cap (a thick layer of skins and debris that forms in the tanks) pressed down on the pulp. This technique unlocked delicate nuances of fruit and freshness that otherwise might be lost when the juice was racked prior to cellar aging.
For a varietal such as Pinot Noir, which favors cooler temperatures, the warm 2006 season may have been a disaster. Several weeks of temperatures in excess of 100 degrees dominated the summer months. The warm weather posed the threat of ripening the grapes too quickly and not allowing them the time to develop the flavors, richness or delicate complexity, which make Turning Leaf’s Pinot Noir so distinctive. Winemakers responded by thinning the vines early in the season, so they would have fewer berries to support during these periods of peak stress. They made necessary adjustments to irrigation. And, above all, they monitored the crop closely, virtually on a daily basis. Such measures bought weeks of crucial hangtime, even when Mother Nature had turned up the heat.

My Wines

My Cellar

Turning Leaf Vineyards:
Turning Leaf is a brand produced by E & J Gallo wines in Modesto, California. The wines are accessible, value-driven whites, reds and rosé (White Zinfandel) that are available in most supermarkets and retail establishments.

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My bottle actually refers that this wine was imported from Germany. On the bottle it says, "Pinot Noir is a wine produced by famously elegant grapes with hints of black cherries, berries, and spice. This air blend creates a soft mouth feel that offers a seductive, velvety flavor within a complex palate. This fruit-driven wine bursts with sensation and flavors any moment with imaginatio and elegance."
The aroma is almost non-existent. I don't know that I would agree with their "fruit-driven wine" description but I will agree with the HINT of black cherry as you first sip, then followed by a soft oak and spice. Is this the BEST pinot noir I have ever had? No. But for the price, would I buy this again? YES! Soft, unassuming, easy drinking, a nice relaxing glass of wine after work.

Tasting Notes:
Exquisite. Refined. Like a perfect symphony of tastes. Our Pinot Noir is rich with aromas of cherries and berries--two traditional fruit aromas of Pinot Noir--balanced by hints of spice and a fresh earthiness. The taste is smooth, fruity and full of flavor. This delicately balanced wine is sumptuous with a wide variety of dishes. Try it with rosemary--infused lamb or Thai-style ginger beef entrees, appetizers of wild mushroom soup or roasted garlic--and much more.
Winemaker Notes:
2006 produced an excellent crop in spite of the weather challenges. By mid-September, fresh grapes bursting with flavor began to arrive at the winery, where they were gently crushed and allowed to cold soak. Turning Leaf winemakers extracted additional flavor from the harvest by removing some of the press juice during fermentation, so the cap (a thick layer of skins and debris that forms in the tanks) pressed down on the pulp. This technique unlocked delicate nuances of fruit and freshness that otherwise might be lost when the juice was racked prior to cellar aging.
For a varietal such as Pinot Noir, which favors cooler temperatures, the warm 2006 season may have been a disaster. Several weeks of temperatures in excess of 100 degrees dominated the summer months. The warm weather posed the threat of ripening the grapes too quickly and not allowing them the time to develop the flavors, richness or delicate complexity, which make Turning Leaf’s Pinot Noir so distinctive. Winemakers responded by thinning the vines early in the season, so they would have fewer berries to support during these periods of peak stress. They made necessary adjustments to irrigation. And, above all, they monitored the crop closely, virtually on a daily basis. Such measures bought weeks of crucial hangtime, even when Mother Nature had turned up the heat.